Meaningless
by Kokesu
Summary: The Ultimate Life Form. The Guardian. Two powerful beings whose purposes in life have been deleted. UPDATED! Sonic confronts Shadow! [Knuxadow]
1. Meaning Found

Meaningless

_**This is a one-shot Knuckles x Shadow fan fiction that I wrote over the past week. I decided to do this because well…I've never seen one before. I've never even seen a yaoi picture of the two of them. I've never been a yaoi fan, so this is new for me. This is the first thing I've done like this so it's not all that great, but at least I can say I tried. Anyway, if I get enough positive reviews on it then maybe I'll do something like it again. If not then…oh well. So enjoy…and stuff.**_

"I'll be right back you two," Sonic announces, dashing out of sight.

"Sonic! Sonic!" Knuckles calls, knowing that Sonic has intentionally left him alone with Shadow. "Damn him," Knuckles mutters. He glances over at Shadow, whose black and red quills gleam healthily in the sunlight. Sonic had been teasing Knuckles lately, saying things about Shadow's homosexual tendencies. Knuckles thinks back to the day before.

"_Hey, Knuckles. I saw Shadow staring at you just now," Sonic had whispered to him._

"_Shut up," Knuckles had warned, not wanting to believe it. But he had noticed it too. He had glanced at Shadow after that and, sure enough, caught him staring again._

Knuckles growls under his breath at the thought and tries to keep calm. "What am I so worked up about? It's probably not even true," Knuckles thinks. Shadow had been caught staring at Knuckles many times, but his expression remained as sincere as always. He had never even done as much as blush. "He could just as easily be planning to kill me and steal the Master Emerald," Knuckles realizes. "Yeah, that's probably it," he assures himself with a satisfied nod. "But what if it's not," he can't help but worry. "Bah! Who cares! Even if Shadow is gay, I'm not! Besides, he's more likely to go for Sonic's cotton-candy ass than me. Hmph, I'm not about to be part of some freakish yaoi," Knuckles concludes in his mind, finally relaxing. He sighs contentedly and closes his eyes.

Shadow stares off into the distance, his gaze emotionless, hiding the thoughts cluttering his mind. He knows that Sonic has left him alone with Knuckles on purpose.

"I've got to be more careful," he thinks. "If Blue Boy is catching on, then it must be really obvious. Looks like I've got a choice to make," Shadow frowns in thought, his eyes still gazing into the distance. He suddenly stands with a decisive look on his face. Shadow turns to see Knuckles with his eyes closed and walks over to him.

Knuckles's eyes open upon feeling someone standing over him. He sees Shadow staring down on him with an expression that he can't quite place and stares back, his violet eyes as blank as they can be.

"What?" he asks, an annoyed tone in his voice.

The two of them lock eyes for a moment, exchanging harsh glances. Shadow narrows his eyes hatefully before chuckling and walking off. Knuckles feels a chill creep into his bones and sits motionless for a moment. He feels himself overcome with confusion.

"Was that…disgust in his eyes?" he wonders, still picturing the look in Shadow's blood red eyes. "Or was it a 'you better watch your ass if you don't wanna get raped, bitch' look?" Knuckles's eyes scan the ground uncomfortably for a few minutes. He is snapped back into reality when Sonic's hand lands heavily on his shoulder.

"Yo, Knux, where's Shadow?" Sonic asks. "Why aren't you two all hugged up?"

"Say that again--ever--and I swear, you're dead," Knuckles threatens, giving Sonic an icy look. "And how the hell am I supposed to know where he is, anyway? The Ultimate Life Form can take care of himself. I'm not Mr. Anti-social's keeper."

"You have some nerve calling anyone anti-social," Sonic points out. Knuckles doesn't respond. He sniffs the air.

"Rain," Sonic announces, and Knuckles nods in response.

"So, where'd you go, anyway?" Knuckles asks after a few minutes of silence.

"Nowhere," Sonic answers. "I just went for a little run to give you two some time alone."

"You what?" Knuckles gives Sonic an angry look. He growls, "You know, you are really starting to irritate me, Blue Boy. I have half a mind to break your jaw."

"Oh, please. I'll take you on any day, any time, Red," Sonic grins, unfazed.

"Hmph," Knuckles responds simply. After a moment he gets to his feet and saunters off.

"Hey, where ya goin?" Sonic asks.

"Away. Your presence is starting to annoy me," Knuckles answers coldly. Sonic chuckles carelessly in response.

Knuckles's feet quietly shuffle across the smooth dirt path as he enters the woods, patches of sunlight shining on his quills through the thick canopy of branches and leaves above. He wanders aimlessly through the forest, dismissing the wave of thoughts trying to grasp hold of his mind. He comes to a stop far into the woods and circles a tree before sitting down against it. Moments later he feels the uncomfortable sensation of an intimidating gaze burning into him. He opens his eyes to see Shadow.

"I knew you were following me," Knuckles lies.

"Follow me," Shadow demands, disregarding the comment.

"Why on Mobius should I?" Knuckles asks, glaring at Shadow.

Shadow does not respond. He turns his back to Knuckles and starts to walk away. Knuckles watches and, reluctantly, stands and walks after him. Shadow begins taking quick, long strides, skating across the air just above the ground. Leaves and dust are blown outward from beneath him as he maneuvers effortlessly through the thickening trees. Knuckles follows closely behind, shattering dried leaves like thin glass with each step. Shadow approaches a dense, cave like dome of intertwined branches and leaves. He leaps into the air and curls into a ball, landing and spin-dashing through the dome. Knuckles follows suit and shreds through after him. When he uncurls his body he stumbles, landing on his hands and knees. He brushes the moist leaves from his quills and looks up, his eyes meeting the red glow of Shadow's. Shadow offers him a helping hand. Knuckles ignores him and stands up on his own.

"I don't need your help," he tells Shadow, harshly.

"So full of pride," Shadow chuckles.

"Shut up. What the heck did you bring me here for?" Knuckles asks.

"Hehe. That's what I like about you. You like to get right down to business," Shadow says. His ear twitches as thunder rumbles in the distance. The few slivers of light entering the dome fade to nothing, leaving them in the dark. "It's going to rain," he announces.

"I know," Knuckles responds, almost cutting him off.

"It's quite the romantic phenomenon. Dark and romantic, don't you think?" Shadow voices, his eyes on Knuckles.

"I guess," Knuckles answers, trying not to show how nervous he is. Bluish threads of light flash through the dome, momentarily illuminating the two of them with a low, sickly-colored glow. A crack of thunder follows and Shadow's ears flatten painfully. The earth shakes beneath their feet as the sound of water droplets plummeting through the canopy high above becomes audible. Knuckles and Shadow stare at each other through the dark, their faces occasionally highlighted by the electric blue glow of lightning. The rain falls hard around the dome, slowly trickling in. Knuckles is hit by the first drop. When it lands on his shoulder he springs into motion, as if snapped out of a trance. Knuckles leaps toward Shadow, throwing punch after punch. Shadow gracefully evades each blow. He comes back at Knuckles with a series of kicks, each of which Knuckles dodges effortlessly. They leap away from each other and Knuckles charges Shadow. He reaches out, grabbing for his throat. Shadow puts his hands up and locks them with Knuckles's. He falls back, the red echidna pinning him to the ground, their hands still locked together.

"Tell me, Shadow!" Knuckles says over the rain and thunder. "What do you want from me?"

The two of them stare at each other, breath hard. Rain drops down Knuckles's dreadlocks onto Shadow's quills before rolling onto the ground beneath them.

"What is it that I want, you ask?" Shadow finally voices, his blood red eyes ablaze with fire. "I am the Ultimate Life Form, yet what is this life I live? It is nothing!" he yells. His eyes soften, filling with the emotions he had always kept hidden. "I have nothing to live for," h continues, his voice low. "I don't even have anything to die for. My very existence is meaningless. That is an unbearable pain."

Knuckles looks down on the red-eyed hedghog, speechless. He had never seen Shadow like this before, never heard him like this before. Shadow had always been so hard and cold that the possibility of him having emotions had always been unfathomable. He regains his focus and finally responds.

"Well, what does that have to do with me?"

"You know what it has to do with you. You're the only one who shares my pain. You, too, seek the reason for which you continue to exist," Shadow answers matter-of-factly. Knuckles feels a ripping pain sear through his heart. Shadow had said it. He had said the one thing that Knuckles had been denying to himself ever since it became clear that there was no longer any need for a Guardian.

"It's not true!" Knuckles yells at Shadow, pushing him into the ground.

"Knuckles, you know as well as I do that there is no longer any need for a Guardian."

"Shut up!" Knuckles snarls and punches Shadow in the mouth. Shadow feels blood trickling down his lip as he slides back across the wet ground. He looks up to see Knuckles still on his hands and knees, his head hanging. He gets up and walks over to him.

"Don't sit there looking pathetic. You're one of the strongest creatures alive. I am the Ultimate Life Form and you the Guardian of the Master Emerald," Shadow points out. "Both of our purposes in life have been erased, but we can recreate them."

"How?" Knuckles demands to know, not budging. "Put all of Mobius in danger after working so hard to save it from Robotnik?"

"Don't be foolish. Mobius if finally peaceful and that is something that I never want to see change. But when one has lost all direction and meaning in life one will always continue on for one thing," Shadow says. "Love."

"Love," Knuckles scoffs. "Something I don't know. I don't know what it's like to be loved, so how can I ever show love to someone else?"

"You're wrong," Shadow informs him. "I've tried to hide it all this time, but I cannot do so any longer." Shadow lifts Knuckles's chin and looks him in the eyes. "I love you."

Knuckles feels himself become paralyzed by a wave of fear and shock. He tries to pull his eyes away from Shadow's, but finds himself unable to. He feels Shadow's gloved hand stroke his face and is suddenly overcome with anger. He smacks Shadow's hand away.

"Shut up, Shadow! Don't play mind games with me!" he warns, trying to determine the authenticity of the compassion in Shadow's eyes.

"Knuckles, I would never play mind games with you," Shadow assures. Knuckles feels a warmth radiating from Shadow's eyes and immediately realizes how sincere he must be. His cheeks redden slightly with embarrassment.

"Shadow…you know I'm not like that," he points out.

"What relevance has gender to love? Should the ability to procreate be a factor in determining who you love?" Shadow asks rhetorically. Knuckles ponders the point.

"I guess not…"

"And are you afraid of what other think of you?" Shadow questions.

"Hell no!" Knuckles responds with a quickness, his pride speaking for him.

"Then surely you will not fear this, either," Shadow says and presses his lips against Knuckles's. The echidna's violet eyes go wide and his heart pounds wildly. Shadow holds the back of Knuckles's neck gently, waiting for him to return the kiss. Finally, Knuckles closes his eyes and presses his lips against Shadow's. As he does so he feels his pain soothed by a great sense of peace. The two of them open their eyes and look at each other, drenched and covered in leaves and dirt.

"I love you," Shadow whispers. "Can you love me in return?"

"I-I don't know, yet," Knuckles responds, hanging his head for a moment. Shadow slouches, sadness creeping into his heart. When Knuckles raises back up, Shadow sees a slight smile on his face. "But I can start finding out right now."


	2. You Cannot Escape Reality

_**Are you happy, people? I decided to continue it! It was not easy, figuring out what to have happen, but somehow I managed. Still so sorry for the lack of quality but, as I've said, I'm new at writing this kind of thing. There are a few confusing parts in here--the part with italics indicates a flashback. Shortly after that there is a part where Shadow and Sonic say things right after the other, and then say something at the same time, but they are not in the same room or anything, so keep that in mind. I don't even know what to say about what happens in this chapter--I totally didn't see it coming and I'm the one who wrote it. You'll see what I mean. As usual, my disclaimer and replies to comments you made can be found on my main user page. I clear my responses out whenever I get new ones, though, so make sure to check soon for my response to yours! Happy reading.**_

Meaningless.2

Shadow and Knuckles release each other from their first loving embrace, their emotions emanating about them, warming the dark, dripping dome that conceals them from the world.

Their gazes meet in the darkness, a powerful collision of violet and blood red, twisting around each other until they become one, like the merging of souls when two bodies become one. They see only each other, and are in a world where only they exist, a world in which they are together mind, body, soul. They breathe through each other as their two heartbeats melt into one; one giant organ pounding violently throughout them, skipping an occasional beat as it pumps them full of each other's blood. They invade every crevice of each other's mind, leaving space for no other thoughts. Their spirits, old as time, in a fond, familiar embrace, an indication of a love that has always existed, a boundless love, everlasting and indestructible, finally brought together by their blueprints in the physical world. The mesmerism continues for an unknown amount of time, but whether it is a moment or an hour, it is precious beyond description. They remain like this, victim to their inner most feelings, until Knuckles breaks the spell with a blink.

"Shadow, how long has this been going on?" Knuckles asks.

"You mean, when was my attraction to you borne?" Shadow asks, receiving a confirming nod from Knuckles. A slight grin spreads across Shadow's face as he thinks back. "When we met, I suppose."

Knuckles raises an eyebrow at the black and red hedgehog barely visible before him. He feels Shadow's breath blowing gently against his cheek as he stares into the blood red eyes gleaming in the darkness before him. They appear distant, as if viewing some odd phenomenon far away; apparently replaying the mind's archived movies of the past. Shadow blinks, bringing the rolling film to a stop, and his yes refocus on the violet gems looking to him expectantly.

"You mean like love at first sight?" Knuckles questions skeptically.

"No, no. True love is something that grows over time, as did my feelings for you. At first I merely viewed you as an enemy, as another face in the sea of people against me. As the war between our teams raged on, you always stood out. I noticed more about you with every encounter, and although Sonic was my prime enemy at the time, you were the one who intrigued me. Soon, my undying interest in you became an attraction. Quite a bit of time passed before I recognized it, and ever more passed before I accepted it, but I finally did. Once the line between Dark and Hero teams faded and we began working together, I learned a great deal more about you. I can't say for sure when my feelings became as deep as they are now, but I guess that's not too important. I just knew you had to be mine."

"Not to spoil the moment and all, but you sure haven't been too subtle about it lately," Knuckles points out. Shadow chuckles quietly.

"My heart grew impatient," Shadow explains. "I have loved you from afar for too long."

"What made you decide to confront me about it now?" Knuckles asks, feeling awkward about being so inquiring. For a moment, Shadow is silent.

"Something told me it was now or never," Shadow tells him. "And even though I knew you didn't' have to follow me, the look in your eyes told me you would."

"I-I had to," Knuckles stammers. "It was like there was no other option. I tried not to, but I knew why you wanted me to come with you. I've heard enough from Sonic, I had to know for myself. I had to know from you."

"Heh. Faker is just jealous," Shadow voices.

Faker. Sonic and Shadow had relentlessly continued to use the term in reference to each other, even after the merging of teams, even after the restoration of peace on their Mobius, the humans' Earth, even after becoming "friends." Knuckles frowns slightly.

"Jealous? Of what?" he wonders aloud.

"You said it yourself--he sees what I feel for you. He saw your acceptance of it even before you yourself did. He knew this moment would come," Shadow answers. Knuckles frowns harder.

"Sonic's got no reason to care. Even as the need for Freedom Fighters fades, he'll always be a hero. He's got fame and he loves it. Sonic's a show-off, and as long as he's got fans to show off to he's happy," Knuckles points out.

"That's not enough for anyone, not even Faker. He's maturing, and he realizes he needs more than what life is giving him right now. He wants the ultimate thing life has to offer," Shadow explains. Knuckles's frown fades away as he begins to understand Shadow's point.

"He's going to lose his purpose too," Knuckles realizes, almost feeling sympathy for Sonic.

"And true love is the only answer, as it is something that transcends death itself," Shadow continues to explain. "He is longed for by many who admire him for his superficial qualities, but none of them will ever love him sincerely."

The two of them fall quiet once again and the darkness around them grows eerie and cold. Knuckles shivers as the hiss of silence whirs in his ears. He feels Shadow's hands tug at his arms and finds himself being held close to his former enemy once again. Shadow stands, pulling Knuckles to his feet along with him. Beams of yellow light pierce the dome, falling upon the wet leaves beneath them in gleaming patches. Several droplets continue to plummet toward them, reminders of the rainstorm's brief visit, clinging to their quills and rolling down to the tips where they hang, quivering until they fall to the ground, exploding upon impact.

"Let's go," Shadow grabs Knuckles by the hand and leads him toward the holes in the dome.

The two of them step out into the thick forest and Knuckles takes a look around. He had never been in this part of the forest before. He looks up toward the dense canopy of leaves above. Light streams in here and there, providing the area with a dim glow.

"What is it?" Shadow asks.

"I never bothered to venture this far into the forest before," Knuckles tells him. "I wasn't even aware that this place existed. "  
"I came across it some time ago," Shadow informs. "I've visited it regularly ever since. I found myself drawn to the dark, quiet atmosphere of the place."  
"Dark and quiet, two things you and this area have in common," Knuckles points out. "And a day ago I would have added cold to that list."

"Seeing me in a different light already?" Shadow asks.

"Can you blame me? You did show me a side to yourself that I didn't even know existed," Knuckles points out.

"Everyone keeps certain aspects of their being hidden from others," Shadow reminds.

Shadow leads them through the dark, dense mass of trees, back in the direction they'd come from, the vegetation thinning, the light brightening as they continue on, returning to the cleared out area where they had left Sonic. A quick glance is all it takes for them to realize that he's no longer there.

"Let's go," Knuckles suggest, headed back into the forest, walking in the direction of the nearest town. Shadow walks up beside him, matching his pace.

"We'll stay in a motel tonight," Shadow decides, looking at what he can see of the sky through the canopy above. Knuckles feels a wave of nervousness pass over him.

"Aheh…you smell more bad weather, too, eh?" he asks, being careful to keep his composure. He glances in Shadow's direction to see him nod in response.

"And just as easily as I smell that storm I can smell your fear," Shadow announces.

Knuckles freezes in his tracks and swallows, glancing at Shadow out of the corner of his eye. He turns his head toward him completely, expecting Shadow to make eye contact.

"What are you talking about?" he demands, keeping his expression sincere and unmoved, trying to throw Shadow off. Shadow glances at him briefly before looking away and responding.

"You underestimate how well I've gotten to know you," Shadow tells him. "I can see right through that mask behind which you take refuge, and I can see how frightened and nervous you really are."

Knuckles stops himself from making a defensive comment, having no desire to initiate a hopeless argument. He merely mutters something inaudible under this breath and continues toward town. Shadow walks along with him and takes the lead as they step out of the forest and into the town. Kncukles makes no attempt to regain the lead, more comfortable knowing he is outside of Shadow's range of vision. They walk down the rain-soaked street, the scent of the storm still heavy in the air.

As they arrive at the motel Knuckles almost doesn't believe that their recent encounter had actually happened. Shadow seems no different now as he enters the motel, allowing the door to close behind him for Knuckles to reopen for himself. The bewildered echidna enters the lobby to see Shadow already at the front desk, speaking to a fearful male receptionist. He leans against a wall nearby, staring at his glove, only to catch a glimpse of a familiar blue out of the corner of his eye.

Sonic," he mutters as the hedgehog's hand falls heavily upon his shoulder.

"What's up, Red? What took you and Faker so long to get here?" he asks curiously.

"I was in the forest when the storm started and decided to wait it out. Shadow and I just happened to meet up on the way into town," he lies smoothly.

"Uh-huh," Sonic says with a skeptical nod. He studies Knuckles for a moment but, as usual, fails to read his expressionless face. He shrugs indifferently and leans against the wall with his usual nonchalant attitude. He looks at Knuckles slyly. "So, you two sharin' a room?"

Just then, as if cued by Sonic's taunting question, Shadow turns from the counter and walks over to him, two paper pockets holding their keycards in hand. He hands one of the pockets to Knuckles. "You're in room two fourteen," he tells him, turning away and heading toward the stairwell.

"There's your answer," Knuckles tells him, waving the keycard in his face before walking off in the same direction as Shadow.

"Hmph," Sonic chuckles, following him. He pauses at the bottom of the stairs as Knuckles swings open the door on the second floor before making his own way up. As he exits the stairwell he sees Knuckles entering his room and heads right down the hall toward his room eight doors away from the echidna's. He swipes his keycard through the scanner and, upon hearing it beep in approval, pushes down on the handle and opens the door. He enters the plain room, letting the door close slowly behind him, and pulls off the comforter before flopping onto the bed, shutting his eyes with a relaxed sigh and a carefree grin.

Meanwhile, in room two hundred fourteen, Knuckles stares at the floor with a tense expression. In one hand he clenches the empty keycard pocket, and in the other his one keycard. His fist tightens around the soft paper pocket, crumbling it, as he utters a few words, his voice laced with frustration.

"I've stayed at this motel before," he tells himself. "They always give you two keycards," he continues thinking back to when Shadow had handed him the pocket and walked off. "He kept the other one!" Knuckles exclaims.

He feels his trademark composure melting away as anger and anxiety pick at his nerves. He kicks his shoes off and lies on his stomach, propped up on his elbows, cradling his face in his massive, gloved hands. He begins to wonder if he had made a mistake with Shadow, and the doubts reel in his mind.

"What am I doing? What was I thinking? I can't be in love with Shadow all of a sudden," his mind speaks. "Just a few hours ago we were rivals, to say the least. And now we're…we're… Hell, I don't even know what we are," his thoughts continue. He presses his fingers into his temples momentarily before pulling them away and curling them into fists.

"What have I gotten myself into!" he exclaims, slamming his fists into the bed, causing it to tremble beneath him. He lets his face fall flat forward into a pillow and lays there in silence, motionless. He remains that way for an indeterminate amount of time, as late afternoon fades to evening, and evening fades to dusk. He lies there in such though, such confusion, that he doesn't feel himself doze off and eventually falls into a deep, silent sleep.

Across the hall, Shadow sits in a chair, looking out the window, when he hears an odd click sound from his door. He turns toward it as it swings open and stares unsurprised at whom he sees.

_About twenty minutes earlier, Sonic left room two hundred twenty two and exited the motel. About fifteen minutes later, he returned and approached the service counter, his expression malicious._

"_Excuse me," he voiced to the receptionist darkly. "I lost my key."_

_The girl behind the counter was new, and stared back at the hedgehog with fearful eyes. How could this happen to her? Faced by the Ultimate Life Form on her first day!_

"_N-name, please?" she stuttered, already knowing the answer and looking up his room information. Instead of answering, Sonic looked to her angrily._

"_You know who I am," he hissed, his tone causing the girl to start shaking slightly. _

"_Y-yes, sir, Mr. Sh-Hedgehog," she managed, retrieving a key for each room. "R-rooms t-two fifteen a-and two f-fourteen."_

_Sonic smiled inside. So Shadow' room was right across from Kncukles', eh? He took the appropriate key and headed toward the stairwell, waiting for the door to slam closed behind him before shattering his evil expression with amused laughter. _

"_No wonder he's got that attitude, the look on her face was priceless!" he said to himself, making his way to the next floor. Upon exiting the stairwell he turned left down the hall, walking until he stood between the rooms of his teammates. He turned to face Shadow's room, swiped the keycard through the lock, and swung the door open._

"What do you want, Faker?" Shadow asks in a controlled tone.

"I think you know the answer to that," Sonic says with an annoyed grin as he lets the door close behind him, proceeding to lean against it with his arms crossed. "Knux is a smooth liar, Shadow, but you're an honest hedgehog," he says, "even if you are a fake one."

"And your point would be?" Shadow questions, unmoved by the insult.

"My point is, I know something's going on between you and Knuckles," Sonic tells him. "Or am I wrong?"

At this Shadow rises to his feet, his yes on Sonic, unwavering. He couldn't care less about Sonic knowing, but he prepares himself to lie for Knuckles' sake.

"If you're suggesting that Knuckles and I are a couple, you should call him over here. He could use a good laugh," Shadow fibs. "Now I suggest you leave my room before I get too angry about you posing as me."

At this, Sonic frowns, positive that Shadow must be lying. He pushes himself away from the door and turns toward it, wrapping his fingers around the handle. He throws Shadow an icy look as he opens the door.

"Don't mess with his head," Sonic warns. "You may be the Ultimate Life Form, but I've seen what Knuckles is capable of. He and I aren't rivals for nothing. He's more than you can handle," he finishes, exiting the room. Shadow sits himself back down and directs his gaze out the window as the door slams shut.

"It's not fair," Sonic mutters through clenched teeth as he storms down the hall. At that very moment Shadow speaks out in the silence of his room.

"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Faker," the black hedgehog voices.

"Shadow doesn't know him, not like I do," Sonic complains as he approaches his door. He stands before it, his fists clenched, breathing heavily.

"And you're wrong," Shadow finishes his statement as he gazes expressionlessly out the window. "I know him better than you think."

Sonic slams his fists against the door as Shadow's eyes scan the empty street outside.

"He's mine," they declare consecutively, deaf to each other's words. With that, Sonic tears down the stairwell and out the motel door, stunning all those he passes. Shadow catches a glimpse of the Blue Blur disappear down the road and gets to his feet, placing a hand against the window's glass.

"No matter how far you run, Faker, you cannot escape reality," Shadow says, turning away from the window. He grabs two keycards off the nightstand and steps out of his room, being careful to shut the door noiselessly behind him. He stands before room two hundred fourteen and wonders if Knuckles heard the door slamming during Sonic's visit. He decides he'll know soon enough and quickly swipes one of the keycards through the reader, hesitating when he hears the lock click before pushing the door open. He sees Knuckles laying face down in bed and can't help but smile.


	3. In the End

_**Well, well, well. Here we are with yet another chapter of this unexpectedly successful story. It took me a long time to write this one. You know, I drew a few pictures for this, like "promo" images, or whatnot-but that's not necessary, not at all. So, I won't be uploading them. Anyway, let me quit rambling and get to the notes you'll need for this story. At two separate parts I switch to italics--the first time is to indicate thought, the second time is to indicate lyrics (yes, this is a partial songfiction). So, yeah. It should be simple enough to figure out. The song is "In the End" by Linkin Park. Cliché, yes, yes, I know, but oh well. After watching a music video by KojiChao (some of you may have seen it, it's dedicated to Shadow and based on SA2) I was inspired to include the song in this chapter. So yeah, just thought I'd say that. I've never done a songfiction before, so I may not have done it "right" or whatever, but I wasn't going for doing it correctly, just doing it how I saw fit. I wanted to somewhat integrate the song into their actual words. And finally, I'm through. You may read. Oh, by the way--I'm setting this present day, three years after Sonic Adventure 2 (Battle version people, which is copyright 2001), so Sonic and Knuckles are a bit older. I just decided this, so if I have their "original" ages in the previous chapters, let me know. Oh yeah, and also this is in a weird combination/somewhat alternate universe with some out of characterness, although I tried to make it believable. Also, this is the last chapter…for now.**_

Meaningless.3

Shadow kicks off his own shoes as he enters the room, never taking his eyes off the sleeping echidna as he walks up beside the bed, sitting himself upon it gently. He glances to the Guardian's massive, gloved hands. Such deadly weapons, and yet, Shadow can't help but see a childlike innocence as he looks down upon the nineteen year old.

"Does everyone look so innocent when they're asleep? Or only those who were truly born?" he wonders as he continues to look at the sleeping Knuckles. The red-quilled echidna lets out a slight groan in his sleep and Shadow notices the troubled aura surrounding him. "You're always stressing, even in your sleep," the Ultimate Life Form says with a sigh.

Shadow wonders how Knuckles has managed to breathe, let alone sleep, while laying face down in his pillow. He considers turning him onto his side and, after weighing the option, decides to. He gently nudges Knuckles at first, hoping that he'll turn over on his own. When the echidna doesn't move he begins to push his body onto its side. Knuckles groans as he is turned over, but doesn't wake. Shadow grins with satisfaction as he stares at the Guardian's sleeping face.

"How he's managed to protect the Master Emerald while being such a hard sleeper is beyond me," he mutters. A moment later, the echidna's face disappears from sight once again as Knuckles rolls back to his original position, reburying his face into the pillow. Shadow quizzically raises an eyebrow. How could anyone possibly sleep like that? He chuckles in amusement and lightly strokes the long dreadlocks hanging around Knuckles' hidden face. Almost immediately, the echidna bolts up, ready to fight whoever had awakened him.

"Shadow," he sighs with relief as he spots the black hedgehog. "Shadow!" he exclaims, panic replacing his short-lived relief at the realization of Shadow being in his room, in his bed!

"Sorry to wake you," Shadow says with an odd grin. "You can go back to sleep, I was content with watching you."

"N-no thanks," Knuckles refuses as he swallows a lump in his throat, shuddering with discomfort at the thought of Shadow watching him sleep.

"Suit yourself," Shadow shrugs, his grin having faded away. "You're an odd sleeper," Shadow reports, lying back on the bed.

"Am I?" Knuckles asks, trying to continue the conversation while desperately attempting to get as far away from Shadow as possible without being noticed. He is frozen in place, however, when those blood red jewels lock onto him.

"You sleep face down, and you seem to respond selectively to stimuli," Shadow continues.

"St-stimuli?" Knuckles repeats, wondering what exactly Shadow had done to him.

"You needn't sound so nervous. I merely attempted to turn you over, I thought you would suffocate," Shadow explains. "You didn't wake up," he continues, shifting closer to Knuckles, reaching a gloved hand toward the wide-eyed echidna. "Not until I did this."

Knuckles swallows the resurfaced lump as Shadow's hand reaches toward him, past his face, and lands gently on the back of his head. He tries to control his rapidly increasing heart rate as he feels the gloved fingers running through his red dreads, the intimidating gaze of the black-quilled one holding him in his petrified state. He waits for Shadow to pull away but, much to his confusion, Shadow moves closer to him, getting to his knees.

"Ah…ha," Knuckles hisses and struggles to get his muscles working as he feels Shadow's fingers trail down the nape of his neck, the other arm wrapping around his waist. Any chance of escape slips away as Shadow pulls their bodies close together, never breaking eye contact.

"Your heart is racing," Shadow points out unnecessarily. "You should relax," he suggests. Knuckles wishes he could, feeling as if the vital muscle would pound right out of his chest. But, given the circumstances, he doesn't think his heart rate will be going anywhere but up. He nods to Shadow in feigned ignorance and exhales deeply, managing to loosen his muscles. He prepares to make a mad dash for his manhood but is stopped when he feels Shadow's arms wrap tighter around him, and he stifles a whimper as he notices Shadow leaning in for a kiss.

"Shadow, wait," Knuckles pleads as he tries o pull away. He discovers it to be of no use when Shadow holds him tighter and firmly grips the back of his neck as their lips become locked together. Knuckles' eyes widen as much as his eyelids will allow as the black hedgehog kisses him with closed eyes, obviously waiting for the gesture of affection to be returned. Knuckles remains motionless, trying to will Shadow to stop, and feels an odd, warm sensation engulf him, urging him to return the kiss. As he tries to ignore it he feels the urge growing and, before he can stop himself, he presses his lips back against Shadow's. Shadow deepens the kiss, using his tongue to pry Knuckles' mouth open. The echidna complies and allows Shadow's tongue to mingle with his own, finally closing his eyes and allowing himself some enjoyment. Reluctantly, he wraps his arms around Shadow and the two remain, joined in embrace, joined in kiss, but each in his own thoughts.

_I can't believe I'm doing this. Shadow is kissing me. Shadow! And as sickening as it may be…I'm enjoying it. This isn't natural. We should be beating the shit out of each other, not making out! But I don't want to stop…_

_He's finally giving in. I didn't think it would be so simple. No complaints, though. The quicker he accepts things, the better…_

Shadow finally pulls away, his expression calm and content. Well, as content as he can look, at least. Knuckles almost feels tempted to pull Shadow in for another and looks away, furiously embarrassed. He feels Shadow grip his chin and allows his face to be turned until the two's eyes are aligned.

"You're a rather skilled kisser," Shadow states, adding to Knuckle's embarrassment.

"L-likewise," Knuckles forces out, unable to manage a proper thanks or return of the compliment.

"Such pride," Shadow chuckles. "You needn't be embarrassed," he points out.

"I don't get it," Knuckles blurts out, his earlier thoughts resurfaced. "Why did you act so cold toward me earlier? You acted like nothing had even happened back in the forest."

Shadow chuckles at the question and pulls Knuckles into a light embrace.

"Well, would you have preferred me to hold your hand in front of everyone?" Shadow asks, stroking the echidna's back. "Or hold you around the waist, perhaps?"

"N-no," Knuckles manages as he closes his eyes, realizing Shadow's reasons.

"I thought not. I was merely being respectful, Shadow explains, nuzzling the quills around Knuckles' concealed ears. He continues in something of a whisper, his voice still laced with its usual harsh mystery. "It would have been rude to be publicly affectionate without knowing your preferences concerning the matter."

"I-I see," Knuckles responds, half dazed by the feel of Shadow's fingers rubbing his back.

"Is that all? No thank you? How rude," Shadow begins. Before he can continue he is caught off guard by the feel of lips against his. Obviously surprised, he hesitates before closing his eyes and adding pressure to the kiss. As the two pull away from each other, Shadow looks over to a smirking Knuckles, obviously quite pleased.

"How does that suffice?" Knuckles asks as he lays back, his confident expression still worn.

"More than enough," a still shocked Shadow replies. "Heh, if only Sonic had seen that," he mumbles loud enough for Knuckles to hear him. The red echidna sits up a bit, clearly puzzled.

"Okay, Shadow, you lost me. If Sonic had seen that we'd never hear the end of it," Knuckles points out.

"Sonic acts the way he does because he's jealous," Shadow blatantly states.

"Jealous?" Knuckles brow furrows with confusion. "Of what, exactly?"

"We discussed it in the forest, did we not?" Shadow asks. Knuckles takes a moment to think back.

"You said Sonic would be jealous of the fact that we've got each other," Knuckles remembers.

"Yes, but even more so, he would be jealous to see that the object of his affections has been claimed by his darker counterpart," Shadow explains.

"What?" Knuckles blinks in surprise.

"Have you not noted Sonic's antics?" Shadow asks, now sitting on the bed's edge, staring out the window with a stern expression. "Have you not noticed that he is always happy around you? Have you not noticed his attempts to get your attention, not dissimilar to the way a schoolboy treats the girl he likes? Have you not noticed his attempts to drive you further away from me than you were?"

Knuckles says nothing, speechless, and moves to the edge of the bed beside Shadow, letting his legs dangle over the side. He glances at Shadow's un-readable face before staring out the window along with him.

"I never noticed," he voices quietly.

"Though I denied it, he already knows about us. He ran off," Shadow informs. Knuckles frowns and, with a sigh, gets to his feet. "You're going to look for him?"

"You know how Sonic is; he can be completely subject to his emotions. I don't want him doing anything rash," Knuckles points out as he slips his shoes on.

"Very well," Shadow nods, his gaze un-shifting. "Hurry back."

With a nod, Knuckles leaves the room, and moments later Shadow sees a red blur rushing down the road.

As Knuckles rounds the corner he spots Sonic sitting at the back of an alley at the edge of town, his face cradled in his hands.

"I knew I'd find you like this, Sonic," the shadowed echidna voices. Sonic looks up at the sound of the familiar voice

"Knuckles," Sonic hisses, cutting his eyes up at the figure before him as a song sounds from a window high above, showering them with familiar lyrics.

_It starts with_

_**One thing**__/ I don't know why_

_It doesn't even matter how hard you try_

_Keep that in mind/I designed this rhyme_

_To explain in due time_

"I came to confirm what you assumed about Shadow and I," Knuckles states plainly.

"So it is true," Sonic says quietly, his eyes falling to the ground.

"It's true. And you've got to accept it. You've already failed at keeping me away from Shadow, and no matter what you do from hereon out, you won't be able to pull us apart," Knuckles declares.

"But why, Knuckles? Why did you go to him?" Sonic questions in a pained voice, squinting back tears. Knuckles sighs, unsure of how to answer.

_**All I know**_

_Time is a valuable thing_

_Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings_

_Watch it count down to the end of the day_

_The clock ticks life away_

"All I know is that I've been running out of time. I was on the verge of losing my purpose in life altogether. I refused to believe that I was no longer needed as Guardian, it seemed impossible," Knuckles explains.

_**It's so unreal**_

_Didn't look out below_

_Watch the time go right out the window_

_Tried to hold on/but didn't even know_

_Wasted it all just to_

"I have nobody but myself to blame for that denial, but Shadow showed me the one thing that will make life worth living, even without the responsibility of the emeralds," he finishes.

"Knuckles, don't you see?" Sonic pleads for understanding in a shaky voice. "All this time I've fought for your attention. And then the hedgehog from hell came along. Made to be me, only better. And all the time I spent fighting for you was wasted. I tried to hold on; I did all I could…"

_**Watch you go**_

_I kept everything inside and even though I tried/it all fell apart_

_What it meant to me/will eventually/be a memory/of a time when_

"And you went to him," Sonic almost whispers. "I hid the way I felt, but I still fought for you, for your attention. But everything I've done has crumbled to dust. I'll never forget how important you were to me," Sonic manages, his voice finally breaking. He looks up at Knuckles with a tear-streaked face. "Why couldn't you see?"

_**I tried so hard**_

_**And got so far**_

_**But in the end**_

_**It doesn't even matter**_

_**I had to fall**_

_**To lose it all**_

_**But in the end**_

_**It doesn't even matter**_

"I tried so hard! All these years have amounted to nothing! Everything I've ever gained has been taken away. Nothing matters anymore, Knuckles! Nothing!" Sonic voices shakily, trying to calm himself.

_**One thing**__/I don't know why_

_It doesn't even matter how hard you try_

_Keep that in mind/I designed this rhyme_

_To remind myself how_

For a few moments, neither speaks, the vocals and music of the song still being laid upon them.

"Sonic…"

_**I tried so hard**_

_In spite of the way you were mocking me_

_Acting like I was part of your property_

_Remembering all the times you fought with me/I'm surprised_

"No, don't say anything, Knuckles. I can't believe it took me this long to realize that it didn't matter what I did. No matter how hard I tried you never gave me the attention I wanted. And I continued trying. After all the fights we've had, after you put me through so much hell to keep me from the emeralds when we first met, after I proved I was worthy of your trust and continued to be treated like dirt I still kept trying.

_**It got so far**_

_Things aren't the way they were before_

_You wouldn't even recognize me anymore_

_Not that you knew me back then_

_But it all comes back to me_

"And you haven't noticed how I've changed. You never noticed anything about me! I wanted you to know me! And you never took the time…"

_**In the end**_

_You kept everything inside and even though I tried/it all fell apart_

_What it meant to me/will eventually/be a memory/of a time when I_

"I wanted to be the one you opened up to, but I never was. I've never been anything to you Knuckles. Never…"

_**I tried so hard**_

_**And got so far**_

_**But in the end**_

_**It doesn't even matter**_

_**I had to fall**_

_**To lose it all**_

_**But in the end**_

_**It doesn't even matter**_

"Sonic! I've been your friend for a long time, and your rival for even longer! My focus was the Emeralds, which was my duty. I never considered needing anything more. I didn't open my eyes until I didn't have anything left! And you are not the one who showed me that there's more to life. So even though you may have tried, I see you the same way I always have," Knuckles explains, unable to look Sonic in the face.

_**I put my trust in you**_

_**Pushed as far as I can go**_

_**And for all this**_

_**There's only one thing you should know…**_

"So this is it? I've officially failed," Sonic says in a low voice, forcing himself to his feet. "I trusted you would understand," he continues, inching toward Knuckles. "But I've come to the end. Just know and remember," he begins as he stands before Knuckles, raising his eyes to meet his.

_**I tried so hard**_

_**And got so far**_

_**But in the end**_

_**It doesn't even matter**_

_**I had to fall**_

_**To lose it all**_

_**But in the end**_

_**It doesn't even matter**_

"Remember how hard I tried. How hard I tried, and how little it mattered," he finishes. "Are you sure you love Shadow? Or are you just trying to?"

"Bravo, Faker," an ominous voice interrupts from above as the lyrics to the popular song fade to silence, as if meant exclusively for the conversation that had taken place.

"Shadow!" Sonic snarls, wheeling around to see Shadow leap down into the alley.

"Isn't our dear Guardian confused enough without you urging him to deny the feelings he's finally recognized?" Let him alone, and settle this with me," Shadow summons with a cold stare.

"Why should I? This has nothing to do with you! This existed long before you ever became a factor!" Sonic shouts.

"You're wrong; this has everything to do with me. Am I not the one you're angry with? Although I'm superior to you, I was modeled after you, Faker. You and I are alike, which is shy our hearts hold the same desire," Shadow speaks.

"You have no heart; you're not even truly alive! You weren't born, and you don't lead a true life! You're nothing but a weapon, Shadow, so don't try to mimic the emotions of true living beings!" Sonic argues.

"Take that back, Sonic!" Knuckles demands, stepping in. "Every life on this planet is unique, and just because Shadow wasn't born like you or I, just because he doesn't age the way we do, that doesn't make him any less alive, but more unique. I know his feelings are real. And if you think back to when we first learned of him, he was completely guided by his emotions, not dissimilar to the way you are, Sonic!"

Sonic keeps his eyes locked on Shadow's, narrowing them further as Knuckles's words cut into him. Shadow returns the glare relentlessly, unfalteringly, remaining as still as stone. The collision of emerald and blood doesn't cease with Knuckles's words, as a battle is silently agreed upon. A rage-filled Sonic speeds toward the Ultimate Life Form in a blur of blue quills which whistle slightly as the air blows through them. Shadow sidesteps the attack of his heroic counterpart with ease, not blinking as Sonic skids to a halt a few inches away from making impact with the back wall of the alley. The Blue Blur takes no time to recover and flies toward his opponent with a high kick, ignoring the sharp pain in his wrist as it is struck by something protruding from the wall. Shadow turns halfway toward Sonic and catches his foot, kicking him at the back of his knee to knock him to the ground.

"With all that rage, you haven't got even the slightest chance of defeating me," Shadow speaks.

Knuckles looks upon the two without shock, the outcome having been predictable. Sonic winces at the pain from hitting the ground, and before he can open his eyes he feels a heavy weight on his chest. He looks up to see Shadow pinning him down with one foot. He stares up at him in silence with a hateful glare, defeated. He looks away as Knuckles walks up to Shadow's side, locking his eyes onto the ground next to him. The short battle ends without words, as suddenly as it had begun. Shadow removes his foot from Sonic's chest and turns to leave, beckoning Knuckles to accompany him. Knuckles reluctantly agrees and follows Shadow out of the alley, leaving Sonic on the ground. The blue hedgehog lies on the cold ground, embraced by the darkness of the alley, wishing that he had not been fortunate enough to survive all the adventures he had had. He feels himself overcome by a sense of calmness, and finally notices the red, warm liquid flowing from his painful wrist, closing his eyes as he spins deeper into a quiet vortex of nothing…


	4. Losing Sight

Meaningless.4

_**Well, well, well. It's been a long time hasn't it? I last updated this story in September of last year:: sighs : What a shame. I am disappointed in myself, that I am, but life proved to be too busy to lend me the time or inspiration to write too often. But the mystery shall now be solved. I left many of you wondering what on Mobius happened to Sonic. Well, time to find out. Anyhow, I hope you all enjoy the read. And don't forget-you can find my disclaimer and read my replies to your reviews in my profile!**_

_**-Nion Kokesu**_

Sonic painfully opens his eyes to bright white surroundings. He tries to determine where he could be, but finds himself only able to make out the blurred shapes of foreign objects around him. He blinks exaggeratedly a few times, trying to correct his vision.

_What is going on? Where am I? Last thing I remember is Shadow and Knuckles leaving…my wrist was bleeding. Then everything went black. Am I…? Am I dead? Did they really just leave me to die?_

Sonic tries to sit himself up but, lightheaded and in pain, falls onto the bed. "Ugh…is death supposed to hurt this much?" Sonic mutters through his teeth.

"You're not dead, surprisingly enough," a familiar voice sounds from the bedside. Sonic turns his head toward the voice, his eyes falling upon the blurred figure of the red individual before him.

"Knuckles? Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital," Knuckles explains. "You lost a lot of blood."

"That explains why I can't see," Sonic states with a shiver. "And why is it so cold. How long have I been here?"

"A few days."

"Really?" It feels like it's only been a few minutes since everything went black," Sonic voices, looking at his tightly bandaged wrist. He winces as he clenches his fist.

"You shouldn't do that," a concerned Knuckles warns, placing a hand on Sonic's arm. "It hasn't been long since the transfusion and it's not healed yet, it could start bleeding again."

"What do you care?" Sonic frowns, snatching his arm away. "Shouldn't you be spooning with Shadow or something?"

"Sonic, don't start. Shadow's not even here, okay?"

"Didn't think so," Sonic scoffs. "He's probably disappointed that I'm not dead."

"Grow up, Sonic," Knuckles shoots back after a brief pause. "Despite what you may think, Shadow doesn't spend all his time wishing bad fortune upon you."

"Good, I wouldn't want to be on his mind."

"Stop acting so childish! You wound up here due to you own over-reacting."

"Get out," Sonic scowls.

"What?"

"I said get out!" Sonic repeats, turning away from Knuckles. "There's no way you could care about my well-being and be so busy defending him at the same time."

Knuckles looks at Sonic, annoyed at his behavior, yet still genuinely concerned. "Sonic, is that really what-"

"I said I don't want you here!" Sonic interrupts.

The red echidna blinks, his sentences still caught in his throat, before getting to his feet with a frown. "Fine," Knuckles agrees, turning toward the door. "If you really don't want me here, then I'm gone."

Sonic watches as Knuckles leaves the room, catching a glimpse of his face as he turns to close the door. The blue hedgehog blinks, wondering if he had truly just seen a hurt look on his trusted rivals face. No, he realizes. His still recovering vision had tricked him. That hadn't been pain he'd seen on Knuckles' face. That had been the expression of someone numb to pain, numb to all emotion. That had been the Knuckles that had been absent for the past few days, the Knuckles that didn't care. The Knuckles that didn't feel.

Knuckles walks down the hall toward the lobby, approaching the seated black figure awaiting him. Shadow turns at the sound of the familiar footsteps.

"We're leaving, the red echidna announces, not pausing as he heads for the door.

"Leaving?" an obviously confused Shadow echoes, getting to his feet. "What happened?"

"Sonic's awake," an agitated Knuckles informs, not slowing to wait for Shadow. "And he doesn't want our company," he adds, exiting the building as the glass double doors slide open before him.

Shadow pauses as Knuckles continues out the door. How could Sonic be so rude, so ungrateful after they had saved him from his own foolish, desperate actions? Without a second thought, the Dark One turns on his heels and makes his way to the room of his blue counterpart. He swings the door open, prepared to give Sonic a piece of his mind, only to find an empty bed and an open window.

"…" Shadow takes a second glance around, hoping that he had somehow failed to spot the blue-spiked hedgehog against the room of all white, and upon having no luck, he retreats to the hall.

"Mr. Hedgehog! You're awake! You shouldn't be out of bed!" a passing nurse panics.

"I'm not Sonic," Shadow assures, suppressing his agitation. "It appears that he is no longer with us." The nurse glances into the empty room and back at the black hedgehog before her, obviously not convinced. As she opens her mouth to explain to him his apparent delirium, the Ultimate Life Form dashes out of the hospital.

"So, how badly did he blow up at you?" Knuckles questions as the Dark One comes to a halt before him.

"We didn't speak," Shadow informs. "I was greeted by an empty room."

"What? He couldn't have left, though," Knuckles states, "He could barely sit up when I saw him."

"I don't know where the Faker is," Shadow informs. "But he's not in the hospital, of that I am certain."

"He's in no condition to be roaming around," Knuckles points out. "He can't even see straight."

"We've got to find him, that's a given. Although he's done well at making that rather difficult," Shadow responds.

"You're right. Even in his current condition he could have gotten pretty far," Knuckles agrees. "And he did so quickly enough that no trail was left behind."

"Faker has always been exceptionally determined," Shadow states before dashing off into the distance.

"Don't forget exceptionally insane," Knuckles mutters. "Blue Boy belongs in an institution," he adds, dashing off after Shadow.

Not far off, Sonic steps foot into the dark refuge that had housed the confessions between Shadow and Knuckles, taking note of the leaves and branches that had been shredded in a way he knew all too well. He finds himself overpowered by the trapped scent of rain as the stale, chilled water drips onto him from the canopy's meticulously woven shell. He sits on the ground, holding his knees to his chest, allowing the cold rainwater, which had finally penetrated the canopy, to fall on him, around him, paying no mind to the screaming pain in his head, and ignoring the painful feeling of his heart pulsing in his wrist. He closes his eyes, losing himself in the dreary atmosphere around him, and within moments he feels his eyes stinging, but does nothing to stop the beads of tears and rainwater rolling down his face.

"They were here," Sonic mutters tearfully to himself. "I know it. Their scents have been washed away, but I can feel it. That aura, that aura Shadow leaves behind everywhere he's been," Sonic's voice breaks, and the flame of hatred flickers in his eyes. Shadow and gotten the one who had come to mean so much to him. An unforgivable crime, that is what Shadow had committed. "And for that, he will be punished," Sonic decides, the solution to his dilemma becoming clear. The Blue Blur gets to his feet and blindly eyes the damp darkness around him. "Shadow must be destroyed," Sonic tells himself.

_But would that really solve anything?_ _I must destroy everything that Faker has impressed upon. I must destroy every bit of him that has spread across this world. I must annihilate every indication of his existence, and tear away whatever insignificant purpose he's given to his so-called "life." I must take back what is rightfully mine._

With that, Sonic curls his body into a tiny, blue ball, and under his breath, he lets out a laugh--weak and barely audible, but frighteningly maniacal.

"Let's go," Shadow demands, turning to return to the hotel.

"Stop looking? But Sonic shouldn't be off by himself, you know that Shadow," Knuckles insists.

"He obviously doesn't want to be found, Knuckles," Shadow pipes up. "And frankly, I'm tired of wasting my time looking."

"Oh please, you're immortal, you've got all the time in the world," Knuckles points out, coldly. He immediately regrets his words and, realizing his mistake, he looks up just in time to see Shadow's form come to a halt before him. "Shadow, I-"

"Knuckles," The Ultimate Life Form interrupts, "I may not age, but that doesn't mean I take for granted the time I've been given. You look for Faker if you want, but I've got better things to do with my time," Shadow finishes before vanishing in a flash of green light. Knuckles sighs as the presence of the Chaos Emerald fades, knowing that Shadow has warped home.

"Great, he's pissed," Knuckles scolds himself. "And he's right. Why am I so worried about finding Sonic, when he's dead set on keeping Shadow and I apart?"

"Because Sonic's your friend," a young familiar voice sounds from behind. Knuckles looks back to see the two-tailed fox that had been following the Blue Blur around for years.

"Tails…what are you do-"

"Shadow called me," Tails answers. "You don't have to look for Sonic anymore but I'm not resting until I find him. I have to know where he went…instead of coming home."

"Tails…"

"Just tell me where you three have been, Knuckles."

With a sigh, Knuckles obliges. "We did check into a hotel, but Shadow and I checked there already. There's been no sign of him, Tails," Knuckles explains.

"Where else?"

"That's it," Knuckles assures.

"Where else have you been, Knuckles!" Tails demands in a surprisingly intimidating voice. Knuckles takes a stunned step away from the raging fox.

"Tails, I…wait a sec…" Knuckles stops himself as a thought strikes him. "How could I forget! We were in the forest near that hotel until the storm hit. That's where this whole thing started." Without hesitation, Tails takes to the air and flies off. "Wait! Tails, what makes you so sure he'll be there?" Knuckles asks.

"Sonic's taken are of me my whole life. Nobody knows him like I do," Tails responds before soaring off with a boost of speed. Knuckles thinks for a moment before dashing after the orange fox.

"Knuckles?" a clearly shocked Tails looks at the echidna below him.

"It's a really big forest, and I don't want you getting lost. Besides…if I know Sonic as well as I think I do, then I know exactly where he'll be."

"Good," the two-tailed fox replies, feeling himself fill with hope, as they speed toward the forest. "You can fill me in on the way."

The red and orange figures of the two Freedom Fighters step into the forest and feel themselves weighed down by the damp, heavily scented air. Knuckles starts forward, hoping he'll be able to relocate the landmark where Shadow's confession had been made.

_I can't believe Tails got dragged into this; what was Shadow thinking? He's just a kid; he doesn't need to be dealing with stuff like this. Then again…nobody cares about Sonic more than him. Amy's fangirlish "love" isn't dust in comparison. I'm still not sure this was such a great idea, though. I can't imagine what must be going through his head right now…_

With his last thought, Knuckles glances over at the fox flying beside him, not the least bit surprised to see an expression of utmost determination and concern upon his face.

Tails does his best to maintain his mask of strength, praying that the echidna beside him won't be able to read his thoughts. In reality, he had almost broken down listening to Knuckles tell him all that had happened, how upset Sonic had gotten, how he had almost died… He finds himself feeling inferior, thinking that Sonic would never become so affected by him. But his feelings waver not.

_I'll do anything for Sonic, until the day I die. Even if his love for me isn't as great as my love for him._

Tails winces as the possibility of that being true stabs at his heart. He and Sonic had always shared a close, brotherly love, and Tails had always been certain that neither of them could ever care more strongly for anyone else. But now, the adolescent love that Sonic had inevitably grown for another had succeeded in taking priority in the hedgehog's heart. Or so Tails worries.

"You alright, Tails?" Knuckles asks. The orange fox feels his fur stand on end momentarily.

"I-I'm fine," he assures, slowing the rotation of his tails as he lowers himself to the ground, releasing an audible sigh as his feet plant themselves upon the ground. "I'm worried about Sonic."

"Tails, you two are as close as close gets," Knuckles assures, as they continue along. "If anyone can bring Sonic to his senses, it's you.

"How do you know?" Tails demands cynically.

"Sonic raised you, but I've known him for quite a while myself," Knuckles points out. "And I know for a fact that the strength you give him is unimaginable."

"I hope you're right," Tails responds sulkily.

"Well, we're about to find out," Knuckles states as they approach the botanical hideaway. "We're here."

Tails looks around, his eyes ablaze with determination, his love for Sonic erasing his doubts with newfound hope. "Sonic!" he calls out, rushing into the tightly-woven dome of foliage. He pauses as he is surrounded by darkness, shuddering as cold droplets of water chill him to the bone, and immediately covers his sensitive nose, shielding it from the overpoweringly magnified scent of the forest and rainwater trapped within. He hears Knuckles step in behind him.

"Sonic, we know you're here," the echidna states. After a few moments of silence, the small fox beside him sighs.

"Maybe he's not here," Tails admits, discouraged.

"No, you were right for heading this way. This is definitely where he would come. He may be a fool, but his intuition surely led him here," Knuckles responds. No sooner than he does, he senses something rushing at him. He leaps out of the way in time to feel a breeze carrying the scent of the Blue Blur blow past him. Knuckles grabs the orange fox by the arm before pulling him along and retreating out into the forest. The echidna holds his breath, hushing a protesting Tails, watching the dome with anticipation. Just as expected, the glow of animal eyes appears in the entrance, and a crazed-looking Sonic slowly emerges from within the dome on wobbly legs.

"What is Tails doing here?" Sonic hisses, sneering at the Rad Red. "Why did you drag him into this!"

"I didn't, you know I would never involve him in something like this!" Knuckles shoots back. His gaze involuntarily shifts toward the ground as he continues with an answer that he knows will only anger Sonic all the more. "It was Shadow…"

"What!" an enraged Sonic exclaims. "I'll kill him…I'll kill that sorry excuse for a hedgehog!"

"Sonic, no!" Tails shouts out, finally stepping forward. "I'm glad Shadow told me. I know I'm just a kid but…it's not fair for you to shut me out of your life!" Tails pours out, approaching Sonic. He pauses before the speechless hedgehog. "We've always been there for each other…and even if you don't need me anymore," Tails continues, "I need you."

Sonic feels his rage melting as the innocent sky blue eyes of the young fox remain locked on his own. Suddenly, he recognizes the error in his behavior. Without a second thought, he embraces the younger male. "Tails, thank you. I do need you, more than I could ever say," Sonic assures, still holding his considered sibling close. "You help me keep a level head, and keep sight of what's important," he continues, "which I haven't been doing lately." Sonic glances at Knuckles as he holds Tails in embrace. "I'm hurt…and heartbroken, but I know I've got to accept that I can't change this. And I'm sorry for all of this. I let my rage take control of me," Sonic finishes, finally pulling away from Tails. "Now why don't you and Knuckles head home?"

"But what about you, Sonic?" Tails prompts.

"I've got to set things right with…" Sonic pauses, trying to hide his disgust, "Shadow."

"Sonic…as much as I agree with that, you've got to get some rest," Knuckles points out. "You're injured."

"Knuckles," Sonic rolls his eyes, "you can't have your grapes and eat them too."

"Hmph, fine." Knuckles finally gives in. "But if you're gonna pass out, at least do it somewhere populated," Knuckles requests. He beckons for Tails to follow him and turns to exit the forest.

"Bye, Sonic," Tails voices, indulging in another hug from Sonic before hesitantly following Knuckles, "Be careful."

"I will little bro," Sonic assures, watching as the two speed up before disappearing in the distance. "No matter how much pain I'm in, I refuse to hurt you twice."


	5. A Stressful Confrontation

Meaningless.5

_**And here we have Chapter five. I'm trying to figure out why I haven't uploaded it yet...I think I forgot I had it written. ;; And listening to Linkin Park today got me to wanting to write some more, and when I checked my notebook, there was this chapter, fully written and not submitted! So yeah, here you guys go. Everyone seems a bit less in of character than I usually keep them, in my opinion, but given the circumstances, I think their behaviors are accurate to their personalities. Enjoy. And don't forget-you can find my disclaimer and read my replies to your reviews in my profile!**_

_**-Nion Kokesu**_

Shadow inhales deeply. The past few days had taken a toll on him, so he had decided to blow off some steam. He exhales. Sonic had never gotten so deep under his skin before. He inhales, trying to clear his mind.

_He's always getting in my way. He disrupts my missions. He disrupts my life. And now, my pursuit of happiness._

A knock sounds, and Shadow exhales through his teeth, opening his eyes just enough to direct a glare toward the door. "Faker," he knowingly mutters, mentally adding his meditation to the list of things the blue hedgehog had interrupted. Shadow gets to his feet and walks to the door, not bothering to check through the peep hole before opening it. Sure enough, he finds the Blue Blur standing before him, looking shocked. He leaves the door open and retreats back into his apartment.

Sonic remains in the doorway, looking stunned and flustered. He hadn't actually expected Shadow to be there. Upon being found alive, Shadow had been urged to rent the apartment. He had eventually given in to the annoying persuasions, but spent almost no time in the place for quite a while. Over time, however, he had found it a nice place to meditate, and started spending more time there.

"Sonic, politeness may not be in your nature, but it is rude even for you to knock upon one's door and then refuse to enter," Shadow states with impatience. The voice of his dark counterpart catches Sonic's attention and he enters Shadow's abode, closing the door behind him.

Sonic looks around, taking in the minimally furnished apartment. Nice. A little dark, but nice. "It actually looks like someone lives here," Sonic pipes up.

"Is that such a shock?" Shadow asks. "It is, lawfully, my home for the time being, is it not?"

"You never seemed like the home havin' type," Sonic responds. "And you used to be dead set against this place."

"I have managed to make some use of it," Shadow informs. "Now, I assume you have come because you wish to speak with me, and I doubt that my apartment is what you intended to discuss."

"You never were much for small talk," Sonic says, cutting his eyes to the floor as the ice he had been hoping to break is frozen solid by Shadow's cold demeanor.

"And that hasn't changed," Shadow assures, waiting for Sonic to say something worth listening to.

Sonic takes a deep breath, trying to organize his thoughts into a comprehensive sentence. He sighs and gives up, starting with a most meaningless phrase. "Shadow, I'm sorry." He looks to the ebony hedgehog for some reaction and when the Ultimate Life Form offers none, Sonic is forced to continue. "I...apologize for how I acted with you and Knux. I was outta line. I lost control of myself," the emerald-eyed hedgehog admits. "I've never felt so much rage before."

"Rage is a powerful entity," Shadow says. "Not all are fortunate enough to escape from its grasp."

"I couldn't have if it weren't for Tails," Sonic voices, smiling gently at the thought of his sibling-like friend.

"I know," Shadow states matter-of-fact-ly. "That's why I sent him."

Sonic emits an annoyed "humph" at Shadow's smug tone. An insult enters his thoughts and he, brainlessly, relays it. "You know, Faker, that smart mouth o- yours actually makes you sound alive sometimes."

Shadow remains unaffected by the poorly articulated insult. "If your perception were half as strong as mine you wouldn't need confirmation of my existence," he replies.

Sonic steps toward Shadow with a growl. "You're gonna regret that."

"You brought insults to this conversation, Faker," Shadow points out with a frown. "Now, if you have nothing intelligent to say, you know where the door is."

"Nnngh," Sonic grinds his teeth, pushing his pride away. With a sigh, he continues. "Look, Shadow. I doubt we'll ever see eye to eye, but we've got more in common than our speed. And that's Knuckles. I don't care if you two are..._together. _I still love him. And I'm not givin' up on 'im."

"I expected as much," Shadow intervenes. "As foolish as you may behave, your determination is admirable. However, your ambitions cannot be allowed," Shadow warns in a dark voice, approaching Sonic until they stand nose-to-nose. "The Guardian is mine."

Sonic narrow his green eyes, peering into the crimson-colored pools of the black hedgehog before him. "Sure, for now," he threatens. But I wouldn't make any wedding plans just yet. After all, has Knuckles said he loves you?" a cocky Sonic asks.

"That is none of your concern," Shadow replies, seemingly unaffected. "Now, you've made your apology and your presence is no longer welcome."

Sonic chuckles. "Fine. But if you wanna keep Knux, you better not take an eye off him," Sonic warns with a smirk. "I know I won't," he finishes, making his way to the door. "Seeya 'round, Faker," Sonic states as he exits, closing the door behind him.

The Dark One remains still, his gaze directed at the door, the irritating image of Sonic's smirk burned into his mind. He retreats to his original spot of the floor, intending to resume his meditation, but Sonic had done an exceptional job at getting under the ebony hedgehog's skin, leaving him unable to concentrate. For some reason, Sonic's words echo in his mind. _Has Knuckles said he loves you?_ Shadow hadn't reacted to Sonic's words, but he also hadn't expected them to bother him so.

He rises back to his feet, frowning at himself with disappointment. He contemplates paying a visit to the home shared by the Blue Blur and his two-tailed sidekick, feeling it to be his best bet at locating Knuckles, confident that The Guardian was unlikely to have already returned to his shrine on Angel Island. The Master Emerald is never threated these days, after all. With that, Shadow's mind is made and he exits his apartment, not bothering to lock it up.

He exits the building, ignoring the stares of some of the other tenants. Most had been excited to know that he was moving in-until they found out he was the trouble-making hedgehog who had been mistaken for Sonic, and not the Blue Blur himself. It had never bothered him that they showed no appreciation for his role in protecting them all. He had done it for Maria, and nobody else.

"Do you really think Sonic will be alright," a still gloomy Tails asks in a muffled voice, his face buried in a couch cushion.

"Blue Boy may be an idiot," Knuckles starts, "but he can pull it together when it counts," Knuckles assures, glancing at the fox lying face down on the couch. "Heh," he chuckles to himself, getting up from his spot on the floor. No sooner than he does so, he hears a thud at the door. He looks back at Tails, whose raised head confirms that he, too, had heard the sound. He notices the young fox's expression distort.

"Do you smell that?" Tails asks, slowly getting to his feet as he sniffs the air. "It smells like-"

"Blood," Knuckles intervenes. "Sonic," he deduces, rushing for the door. A concerned Tails hurries with him, eagerly anticipating the sight of Sonic on the other side. Knuckles turns the knob and the door swings in on them forcefully, a bleeding Sonic falling unconsciously into the chest of the Rad Red.

"Sonic!" Tails exclaims with concern, crowding in to examine the condition of his beloved friend.

"Give him some air, Tails," Knuckles suggests, lifting Sonic into his arms.

"Is he alright!" Tails demands.

"He's breathing," Knuckles assures, heading for the couch. "But he may have lost a lot more blood."

"I seriously doubt that," a voice sounds from the doorway.

"Shadow!" Tails identifies as he and Knuckles turn to face the red-highlighted hedgehog.

"What brings you here?" Knuckles questions, still holding Sonic.

"Faker, and his foolish attempts to get closer to you," Shadow answers, entering the apartment. "You can stop staring at me and put him down now."

Knuckles grumbles to himself and turns back toward the couch.

"What makes you so sure Sonic's alright?" Tails asks as Shadow closes the door.

"Faker just came from my home," Shadow explains," and he was perfectly fine. Had he bled along the way I surely could have come across at least a drop of his blood. Needless to say, I did not."

"So what are you saying, Shadow! That Sonic cut himself at the door!" Tails demands. "He wouldn't do that!"

"Then how else are you gonna explain why he won't let go of me!" Knuckles voices with sudden agitation.

Tails turns around to see Knuckles bent over the couch, trying to pry Sonic's arms from around him without causing any injury. He gasps and promptly rushes to Knuckles' side.

"You're right, Tails," Shadow begins. "Sonic did not cut himself. "But I'm sure pulling out his own stitches was quite painful."

"Shut up, Shadow!" a fully conscious Sonic shouts. "Get outta my apartment!"

"Hmph. I shall stay until The Guardian leaves," Shadow announces. "Unless," he continues, "you wish to battle me. Either way, you will remove your hands from my Guardian."

"Oh yeah?" Sonic chuckles. "Make me!"

"Don't think I won't," Shadow narrows his eyes, taking a step forward. " I am not as sensitive to your weakness as some."

"Hey!" Knuckles growls, shoving Sonic into the couch before whirling to face Shadow. "Who do you think you're calling sensitive!"

"Owww...geez, Knux!" Sonic winces. "Why'd ya hafta-"

"Can it, Sonic!" Knuckles demands, glaring back at the blue-spined hedgehog. "I've had enough. I'm no longer concerning myself myself with anything that happens to you as a result of your own immaturity. I've got more important things to do."

"Like what?" Sonic asks. "Making out with your _fake_ hedgehog? That doesn't quite qualify as important."

"I am The Guardian!" Knuckles shouts, defending his pride.

"Of what, Red! A stupid rock that nobody cares about anymore!"

"How dare you mock the Master Emerald! After the part it's played in the fate of the world!"

"You're right, Knux," Sonic responds. "It was everything once upon a time. And so were we. But that fairy tale is over."

Knuckles scowls and looks away. "I hope you allow your wounds to heal...and not just the ones on your body," he growled before leaving the apartment, followed by Shadow.

Tails looks back and forth between Sonic and the exiting pair, panic written across his face. He falls to his knees and furrows his brow, glancing at Sonic as the door to his shared abode finally eases shut.

"Don't worry about them, Sonic," the orange fox tries to comfort. Sonic remains silent as he rolls onto his side, back turned to his caring companion. Pity, anger, and sorrow tug at Tails' heartstrings, seeing his only family in so much distress being too much to bear. He gets to his feet and announces that he is thirsty, asking Sonic if he would like anything from the refrigerator. Upon getting no response, he runs to the kitchenette, fighting back tears as he retrieves a glass of water and furiously gulps it down. He takes a few deep breaths before returning to the den, determined to make Sonic talk.

"Sonic," he voices quietly as he kneels at the couch side. No response. "Sonic!" Still no response. Agitated and insulted, he forces Sonic onto his back, only to find the hedgehogs eyes closed. He notices the bloodstained couch cushion and is gripped by fear. He shakes the former hero gently, calling his name. Nothing. Frantic, he wracks his brain for a solution, wondering what Sonic would do in this situation. The answer comes to him immediately and he dives for the apartment door, opening it before returning to Sonic's side.

"I'm going to save you," he promises, willing himself the strength to life Sonic's bloody form from the couch and getting out the door as fast as his tails would propel him.

Meanwhile, The Guardian and The Ultimate Life Form had already gotten far away. Knuckles runs as fast as his legs can carry him, agitated at Shadow matching his pace without effort.

"I don't remember asking you to escort me home," Knuckles grunts, not looking to the hedgehog at his side. Shadow glides ahead and into Knuckles' path, reversing into a backward stake with ease.

"We need to talk, guardian," he speaks, his gaze burning into the eyes of the echidna. "I shall not leave you until we have."

Knuckles snorts and takes a sharp turn toward Angel Island. Shadow falls back to his side and the two of them fall silent, not uttering a word for the rest of the trip.

Once upon the airborne island, Knuckles starts through the trees, Shadow at his heels. He ignores the hedgehog as best he can, attempting to clear his mind as he walks. As their destination comes into sight, Knuckles glances back, meeting Shadow's stern expression with his eyes.

He quickly turns his head back toward the river, gazing into its clear waters as he approaches its bank. He pauses momentarily before getting to his knees and thrusting his head into the water.


End file.
